One of the most common ways to say hello or ask about someone in any language is by asking “How are you?” Arabic is no different. And whether you’re greeting one of your closest friends or the guy who sells vegetables down the street, asking how they are is a great way to start a conversation.


Most people who learn Arabic will learn how to ask “How are you?” in Modern Standard Arabic. And although Arabic is the official language of 25 countries in the world, it’s likely you’ll hear people asking about each other in their local Arabic dialect. Some of the more well-known of these dialects are Egyptian, Syrian, Palestinian-Jordanian, Iraqi, and Saudi. (All of which, incidentally, are taught on the Kaleela Arabic language learning app.)


Today we’ll show you a dozen ways to ask “How are you?” in a few of the Arabic dialects. What’s more, we’ll even show you how to respond when someone asks about you.

A Handy “How are You?” Table

“How are You?”

Response

Dialect

Arabic

Transliteration

English

Arabic

Transliteration

English

Dialect

Modern Standard Arabic

 كَيْفَ حالُكَ؟ 

/kayfa Haaluka/

How are you?

أَنا بِخَيْر، شُكْرًا

anaa bikhayr, shukran/

I am fine, thanks.

Modern Standard Arabic

 Egyptian

إِزَيَّك؟

/ʼizayyak/

How are you?

كُوَيِّس، الحَمْدُ لله

/kuwayyis, ilHamdu lillaah/

I’m fine, thank God

 Egyptian

 Egyptian

عامِل ايه

/ʻaamil eih/

What's up?

كُلِّ حاجَة كُوَيِّسَــة

/kulli Haagah kuwayyisah/

Everything is good

 Egyptian

 Egyptian 

أَخبارَك إيه؟

/akhbaarak eih/

What’s your news?

مِش كُوَيِّس

/Mish kuwayyis/

Not good

 Egyptian 

 Iraqi

شلونَكْ؟

/shloanak/

How are you?(m)

زين

/zain/

Good

 Iraqi

Iraqi

شلونِجْ؟

/shloanich/

How are you?(f)

الحَمد لله

/ilHamd laah/

thank God!

Iraqi

Iraqi

شِنو أَخبارِج

/shinoo akhbaarich/

What is your news?

كُل شي تَمام

/kul shee tamaam/

Everything is good.

Iraqi

Palestinian/Jordanian

 كيفَك؟ 


/keefak/

How are you?

منيح

/mneeH/

I am good

Palestinian/Jordanian

Palestinian/Jordanian

 كُل شي تَمام؟

/kul shee tamaam/

Is everything going well?

رائِع

/raaʼiʻ/

Great

Palestinian/Jordanian

Syrian

كيفَك؟

/keefak/

How are you?

منيح

/mneeH/

good

Syrian

Saudi

شلونَك؟

/shloanak/

How are you?

زينْ

/zain/

good

Saudi

Saudi

وِش أخبارَك؟

/wish akhbaarak/

What’s your news?

كُل شَيّ بخير

/kul shayy bkhair/

Everything is good.

Saudi


Now that you know what’s up, no matter where you roam in the Arab world, you’ll be able to ask about others and answer them when they ask about you.

Of course, this is just the beginning of things you should know when you learn Arabic. There’s plenty more you’ll learn when you learn Arabic with the Kaleela Arabic language learning app. Download it today and find out how fun and easy it is to learn Arabic the right way with Kaleela. Get the app today, only from kaleela.com